Gas-regulator.



No. 794,980. PATENTED JULY 18, 1905.

' C. W. BENSON.

GAS REGULATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED mn. 1a, 190s.

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UNITED STATES Patented July 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

GAS-REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,980, dated July 18, 1905.

Application tiled March 13, 1905. Serial No. 249|725.

To all whom 7115 may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. HENsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Gras-Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of regulators for regulating the pressure of gas in dwellings and buildings. Its object is to prevent excessive pressure at the burners, thereby avoiding all wasteful consumption of the gas.

Theinvention consists in the novel construction of parts and devices and the novel combinations of parts and devices hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming' a i part of this speciiication, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the invention, and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, 3, 4, and 5 represent sections forming the vertical walls of a suitable casing having a top 6 and a bottom 7. The upper section is united to the top by a flanged ring 8, and the bottom is united to the lower section by a similar ring 9. The sections 3 and 4 are united by a hanged ring 10, fitted over a liange 11 of section 3 and threaded upon the flange 12 of section 4, and sections 4 and 5 are similarly secured together by flanged ring 13, fitting over iiange 14 on section 4 and threaded on ange 15 of section 5.

The interior of the casing is divided horizontally into three chambers 16, 17, and 18 by means of two partitions or divisions 19 and 20, one supported at its edges in the joint between sections 3 and 4 and the other in a similar manner in the joint between sections 4 and 5. In partition 19 is an annular depression or groove 21, adapted to hold a fluid wherewith to establish a seal between chambers 16 and 17, and in partition 20 is a similar annular groove 22, of less diameter, however, than the groove 21, but adapted to hold a iluid body and establish a seal between chambers 17 and 18. Air may be and preferably is admitted freely to the chamber 17 by means of the openings 23. The gas enters the regulator at 24 and issues therefrom at 25.

Extending vertically through the center of the partitions with freedom to move vertically is a tube 26, forming a passage for the gas from chamber 18 to chamber 16. Surrounding the tube are cylindrical guide portions 29 and 32 of the partitions, which, however, iit the tube loosely, so as not to exert friction thereon. To the top of the tube is secured a bell 27, through the pressure upon the top of which the tube is depressed when the consumption of gas is reduced. rI`he depending edge of this bell enters the groove 21 of the upper partition below the top of the mercury 28 therein, thus establishing a seal which prevents gas from chamber 16 gaining access to the inside of the bell, which would result in a contrary or upward pressure. This seal also prevents the escape of the gas through the space between the tube and the guide 29 into chamber 17. Said tube also carries a second bell 30, the lower edge of which dips into mercury 31 in the groove 22 of the lower partition, and thus establishes a seal which prevents the gas in chamber 18 from escaping in any way other than through the tube, except that some of it may iind its way into the interior of this bell 30 by reason of the looseness of the lit between the tube and guide 32. The gas so entering the bell creates some upward pressure of course; but that is rendered immaterial by the small diameter of the be`ll as compared with the large diameter of the bell 27, by which the tube is depressed. The seals effected by the two bodies of mercury 28 and 31 are never broken while the regulator is in use, the vertical movements of the tube never being suficient to carry the bells entirely above the mercury, so that no loss of gas occurs at the central chamber. As the tube is necessarily sensitive to the pressure upon the bell 27, itwill be seen that there must be as little friction with the bearings or guides 29 and 32 as possible.

The gas from chamber 18 enters the tube at the bottom of the latter and in the volume desired for consumption in the house or building and issues from thence into chamber 16, and in order to regulate the capacity of the opening into the tube I provide a ball 33, floating in a body of mercury 34 in a well 35, formed in the bottom 7 directly below the tube. This ball is adapted, in conjunction with the rising and falling tube, to shut off the gas wholly from the tube or to admit it thereto in just the volume required for consumption, these results being obtained by the vertical movements of the tube, due in one direction to the pressure of the gas in chamber 16 on top of the large bell 27, aided by gravity, and in the other direction to the power of a lifting-spring 36, aided by the upward pressure inside the bell 32. The spring 36 is secured at one end to a transverse pin 37 in the lower end of the tube and at its other end to a winged nut 38 on the revoluble threaded rod 39, passing downward through the top 6 of the casing and provided with an operating-knob 40. The wings of the nut move in vertical slots cut in the sides of a guide-tube 41, encircling the rod, so that the nut cannot revolve with the rod, but is free to move up and down on the rod when the latter is turned. In these movements the nut either increases or decreases the tension upon the spring 36, as will .be understood, so the spring will yield more readily or less readily to the pressure on bell 27. The rod is provided with a collar 42, seated on a shoulder in the top 6, and a packing-nut 43, threaded into the opening in the top through which the :rod passes, and a packing 44 to prevent gas from escaping from the top chamber and serve to hold the rod down, with the collar resting on its seat.

The ball 33 is preferably made with its bottom half larger than its top half, thereby increasing its weight above what it would be if made of the smaller diameter throughout. The upper portion is adapted to effecta tight joint with the tube; but the increased weight prevents it from being lifted up into the tube when the pressure is suddenly'lessened or withdrawn in chamber 16, as may sometimes happen. By supporting the ball in a fluid it is enabled to yield should the tube descend suddenly, and it finds its correct seat easily and quickly and without jar.

Ihave mentioned mercury as a desirable medium for effecting the seals between the chambers and as the fluid supporting the ball 33; but it will be understood that I do not Wish to be limited thereto, as the only change in construction of the apparatus necessitated by the use of a sealing liquid of less specific gravity would be an increase in the vertical dimensions of the liquid-holding parts and of the bells dipping into the liquid. I have indicated a dierent level of the sealing fluid on the inside of each bell from that on the outside. This I do on the theory that the Huid on the side where the superior pressure exists will be forced to a lower level than will the fluid on the side where the pressure was less.

.In order that there may be no loss of the mercury while the regulator is stored or being transported to the place of use and be ready for use as soon as it is connected to the gasmain and the supply-pipe of the house, I place interior thirnbles 46 in the openings 23 and also extend the pipes 24 and 25 into the casing for quite a distance, as shown, so that if the regulator were laid on its side or even reversed none of the mercury would escape from the chamber in which it belongs. Ialso preferably dish the tops of the partitions 19 and 2O and bottom 7 to the centers, so that when the regulator is positioned rupright after being tipped far enough to allow the mercury to run out of its proper receptacles the mercury will at once return to operative position in the receptacles.

It may be desirable to cover the mercury both from the air and from the gas. g For this purpose I place over it a quantityof some non-volatile liquid havingless specific gravity than the liquid, preferably glycerin. Such a protecting liquid is indicated at 50 in the drawings.

The operation of the invention is as follows: After the regulator has been properly connected I admit the gas to it and raise the tube 26 by turning rod 40 suflc'iently to permitan excess volume to move into the chamber 16 and then light a burner. I then turn the rod, so as to carry the nut 38 down and lessen the tension on the spring, thereby permitting the pressure on bell 27 to carry the tube 26 down taward the ball 33 and diminish the entranceopening to the tube. When the flame at the ,burner ceases to blow, it indicates that the right pressure exists in chamber 16 and that the regulator is in proper condition to maintain a steady pressure in said chamber, notwithstanding variations in the amount of gas burned. This it does by reason of the tube being automatically lifted by the spring whenever the increase in the consumption reduces the pressure on bell 27 suliiciently to permit the spring to act and increase the capacity of the inlet at its bottom, the tube being also automatically depressed by the pressure on bell 27 whenever the amount burned is so reduced as to cause an increase in that pressure suiicient to overcome the spring, thereby reducing the capacity of the inlet, so that the excess pressure in chamber 16 quickly disappears.

I claim-- 1. The gas-regulator embodying a movable IOO tube through which the gas passes and the entrance to which is controlled bypositioning the tube vertically, a bell on the tube exposed to the gas at the discharge end of the tube and acting' to depress it so as to reduce the supply when the amount of gas burned is reduced, and a lifting-spring acting to raise the tube and increase the supply when the amount burned increases so as toreduce the pressure on the bell.

2. rlhe gas-regulator embodying a movable tube through which the gas moves, and the entrance to which is controlled by positioning the tube vertically, of a bell on the tube exposed to the gas at the discharge end of the tube and depressing the same when the pressure thereon exceeds the desired normal pressure, and a spring lifting the tube when the said pressure falls below normal.

3. The gas-regulator embodying a movable tube through which the gas moves, and the entrance to which is controlled by positioning the tube vertically, of a surrounding device mounted on the tube and receiving the pressure of the gas at the discharge end of the tube, and depressing the same when the pressure thereon exceeds the desired normal pressure, and a spring' lifting the tube when said pressure falls below normal.

4. The gas-regulator having a receivingchamber, a discharge-chamber, and a movable tube through which the gas passes from one to'the other, said tube also acting by its own positioning to regulate the supply passing through it, of means on said tube whereby it may be automatically depressed when the pressure in the discharge-chamber rises above the desired normal pressure.

5. The gas-regulator having a receivingchamber, a discharge-chamber, and a movable tube through which the gas passes from one to the other, said tube also acting by its own positioning to regulate the supply passing through it, of means on said tube whereby it may be automatically depressed when the pressure in the discharge-chamber rises above the desired normal pressure, and means for lifting the tube when the pressure in the discharge-chamber falls below normal.

6. The gas-regulator having a receivingchamber, a discharge-chamber, and a movable tube through which the gas passes from one to the other, said tube also acting by its own positioning to regulate the supply passing through it, of a bell mounted on the tube in the discharge-chamber and acting to depress the tube when the pressure in the chamber rises above the desired normal pressure.

7. The gas-regulator having areceivingchamber, a discharge-cham ber, and a movable open ended tube through which the gas passes from one to the other, said tube also acting by its own positioning to regulate the supply passing through it, of a bell mounted on the tube in the discharge-chamber and acting to depress the tube when the pressure in the chamber rises above the desired normal pressure, and means for effecting a liquid seal at the bottom of said bell.

8. The gas-regulator having a receivingchamber, a discharge-chamber, and a movable tube through which the gas passes, from one to the other, said tube also acting by its own positioning to regulate the supply passing through it, of a bell mounted on the tube in the discharge-chamber and acting to depress the tube when the pressure in the chamber rises above the desired normal pressure, and a spring for lifting the tribe when the pressure in the chamber falls below the desired normal pressure.

9. The gas-regulator having a receivingchamber, a discharge-chamber, and a movable tube through which the gas passes from one to the other, said tube also acting by its own positioning to regulate the supply passing through it, of means on said tube whereby it may be automatically depressed when the pressure in the discharge-chamber rises above the desired normal pressure, and a spring for lifting the tube when the pressure in said discharge-chamber falls below the normal pressure, said spring also acting as a means whereby to adjust the regulator at the desired normal pressure.

l0. The gas-regulator having a receivingchamber, a discharge-chamber, and a movable tube through which the gas passes from one tothe other, said tube also acting by its own positioning to regulate the supply passing through it, of means on said tube whereby it may be automatically depressed when the pressure in the discharge-chamber rises above the desired normal pressure, a spring for lifting the tube when the pressure in said discharge-chamber falls below the normal pressure, and means for adjusting the tension of said spring.

11. The gas-regulator having a receivingchamber, a discharge-chamber, an open-ended tube connecting said chambers and movable in accordance with the pressure in the discharge-chamber, and also acting by its own positioning as a regulator of the supply to that chamber, and means for moving the tube in accordance with the pressure in the discharge-chamber.

12. The gas-regulator having a receivingchamber, a discharge-chamber, a tube connecting said chambers and movable in accordance with the pressure in the discharge-chamber, and also acting by its own positioning as a regulator of the supply to that chamber, a bell of large diameter on the tube having a 6liquid seal at its bottom and serving to depress the tube when the pressure in the dis- IIO charge-chamber rises above the desired normal pressure, and a second bell of small di- -anieter also mounted on the bell and having a loss of the liquid-sealing fluid during shipment of the regulator.

15. The gas-regulator having 'the openings in itssides guarded by thimbles or pipes eX- tending into the interior as specified, to avoid loss of the liquid-sealing iuid during ship- Vment of the regulator and also having a partition or bottom the top of which is dished so that the sealing fluid will automatically run to its operating position.

CHARLES W. HENSON. Witnesses:

' WILLIAM A. GEIGER,

EDW. S. EvARTs. 

